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If you were to load a sample of known charge into a gel, where would the well have to be located and why?

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Final answer:

In gel electrophoresis, the well should be located on the side closest to the negative electrode. Nucleic acids have a negative charge and are attracted to the positive electrode. The size of the DNA fragment determines the distance it travels through the gel.

Step-by-step explanation:

In gel electrophoresis, the well should be located on the side of the gel closest to the negative electrode.

The samples are placed into the wells on the side nearest the negative electrode of the gel, which is oriented horizontally in a buffer solution. The reason for this is that nucleic acids, like DNA, are drawn to the positive electrode due to their negative charge. Smaller molecules can move through the gel matrix more easily than larger molecules because they can move through it more quickly.

DNA fragment size and migration distance are inversely connected, with smaller DNA fragments migrating through the gel over longer distances.

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